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Hair Restoration Questions and AnswersPost a question for other knowledgeable forum members here. Any hair loss sufferers with good advice are also encouraged to respond.

Use the 'find feature' young waggy :-), if you can't find any comments on these docs chances are that you will not get any feedback.

I will re-iterate what is a strong consensus on this forum, do not let geography or cost be a determining factor in getting your HT. The best doctors in the world whoose many patient results are listed here are cheaper than the 'hair mills'.

Thanks for the welcome guys. Yes, I am aware that the thread has been inactive but thought waggy may have utilized the auto notification feature as I did. Sorry, I don't have any close-up pictures like many of you have posted. To date, my hair loss has been minimal compared to pictures posted in this group. I never took any "pre" photos as I honestly didn't care to have any. I've got too much stuff as it is.

I am 53 years old and the hair at the front of my head has been gradually thinning for the past 5 years or so. A bald spot in the back has also developed over that same period. To compensate, I have been gradually moving the part up on the side as I brushed my hair over the past several years. My hair length is usually slightly over my ears and down to my shirt collar in the back. I guess I'll never get over the 1960's. My hair diameter would probably be considered normal or medium and neither fine nor coarse. It is dense everywhere except in the triangular area in front that is thinning and the crown area in back. Dr. Hendler said I have enough donor hair for six procedures. Although he may have been exaggerating, I think the point was that donor hair availability is not an issue with me. He described me as a Type III. As I have a small bald spot in the back/crown, maybe I am a Type III ??“ Vertex? I also have had a receding hairline for so long that I honestly can't remember when it started to happen. It is not unsightly or significant to me and has been that way for so long, probably 20 years or more, that I didn't have any desire to drastically change it. I initially thought that I just wanted to thicken the front up and maybe fill in the receding area on each side a bit.

During the first of two lengthy consultations with Dr. Hendler, he said it would only increase the price by about 25% to fill in the back too. Although this is my theory only, I think there is probably a "base" fee or charge that covers the hours in the afternoon that they need to perform an HT. One of his staff told me they only see one patient per day. I think this may drive a "base" fee that they don't go under no matter how little you need or decide to have done. I have visited the facility four times in the afternoon in addition to the time I was there for my HT. They were performing or finishing an HT each of those times. Dr. Hendler was always involved with the procedure along with both of his technicians, not sure if that is what they are called, but Debbie and Sue are great. A second doctor/partner has been involved several of those times also. As it is a business, they probably need to generate some predetermined amount of money for each procedure they perform. Everybody has to eat. In my opinion, they are very thorough and professional and don't crank out a lot patients. It is definitely not a "hair mill." All of the Drs. are both MD's and either a DDS or DMD. All are also maxillofacial surgeons. You can visit Dr Hendler's website at www.hendlerhairtransplants.com. It is important to include the last "s" in the web address. I found if you omit it, you are redirected to his University of Pennsylvania webpage. As I said, both of my consultations were lengthy. When I came back the second time, I had two pages of questions. I felt Dr. Hendler answered all of them honestly and thoroughly. I was not rushed and there were no surprises.

My procedure lasted from 12:30 pm to 5:30 pm. Before starting, Dr. Hendler went over my medical history a second time and gave me an oral antibiotic and some Valium. After getting settled into the chair, Dr. Hendler drew my new hairline and after my approval, began making dots on my scalp and counting the number of grafts that he would need. I think after that was finished he gave me the Novocain shots. While some of the shots just pinched, others hurt like the dickens. I didn't count but I would estimate there were between 12 to 15 shots spread over the front, crown and donor area. I've described the experience as putting my head in a hornet's nest for 10 seconds. Once that was over, it was all-downhill. When Dr. Hendler started taking the donor strip, I initially felt a little twinge. I probably exaggerated a bit but I didn't want to feel any cutting. He gave me another shot or two and then all I felt was some tugging in the back. After that, Debbie and Sue started preparing the recipient areas and all I noticed was a crunching sound each time they made a hole or incision that reminded me of poking holes in a saltine cracker. I decided I didn't want to see any of the instruments so I don't know if they make holes or slits. After they were finished prepping the front and crown, they went back to the front and started planting the grafts that Dr. Hendler had been preparing. I noticed he would stop his dissecting from time to time and check on the planting process. Although there was a DVD playing during ?? of the procedure, we all talked off and on and I would say that Dr. Hendler was rarely out of the room.

The procedure proceeded routinely as far as I could tell. Although as I said we talked off and on, Debbie and Sue seemed very focused on what they were doing. I noticed towards the end that the planting started to sting a little. Since it was not too uncomfortable, I didn't complain. I didn't want any more shots. The entire procedure was performed with me in a slightly reclined sitting position. Towards the end, Dr. Hendler snuck a shot in my arm to help prevent facial swelling. I had told him about my face swelling up several years ago after being stung in the face by a bee while biking. He also told me I should discuss the incident with my GP, as a second sting could be serious based on my reaction to the first. I appreciated that advice. After they were finished, some bandaging was applied and a white surgical looking net was placed over my hair. I was given 5 days worth of antibiotic, a steroid for swelling, and both 500mg Tylenol and Tylenol with codeine in case I had any pain. I slept well that night and didn't experience any pain at all.

I had to go back the next morning at 8:30 am. The bandages were removed and after examining my head, my hair was washed and blown dry and styled to cover the little bit of work in front that wasn't already covered with existing hair. I was instructed to gently wash my hair again that night using only the palms of my hands and low water pressure and then again twice each day for the next five days. I have to admit I couldn't bear to do it that night but then I did wash it twice a day for the next four days after. They said the washing was beneficial to the healing process. I never experienced any pain after the HT and never needed to take any of the pain medication I was given. The scales or crusting all slid off on the 12th and 13th day after the procedure when I washed my hair in the morning. The donor area sutures were removed in Dr. Hendler's office 13 days after the procedure.

Dr. Hendler said he placed about 900 grafts that represented about 3,000 hairs. His fee was $4,500 for the front and $1,000 for the back. I'm sure some will think I overpaid or could have found a cheaper doctor. Although I am by no means rich, I didn't base my choice of doctor on price. I was impressed with Dr. Hendler when I talked to him on both occasions and decided very quickly that he was the doctor I wanted to use. Although I looked at a lot of websites and feel I researched this extensively, I didn't feel that I wanted to shop this around like buying a car. I also wanted to use a doctor in my area so I would have easy access to treatment if a problem developed.

It's been about 7 weeks since I had the procedure. Many of the donor hairs have shed. I felt like a porcupine in the front and crown area before that happened. Debbie of Dr. Hendler's staff told me that the procedure sometimes traumatizes the existing hair. I think this initially happened to the hair I have left in the front. It seemed to look limp and thinner not long after the procedure. That seems to have resolved itself over the past week or two and my existing hair in front looks fairly good again. I have just recently been developing the small pimples or ingrown hairs that have been discussed in the forum. I went back to Dr. Hendler for the first one but started taking care of them myself lately. I clean the area with alcohol, pop them with a Q-Tip dipped in alcohol, clean the area again with alcohol, apply pressure with a cotton ball for five minutes and then apply some Neosporin twice a day until they disappear in a day or two. My wife performs the cleaning and popping steps. If someone has any suggestions on this, please let me know.

I took two weeks off from work after I had the procedure. Although my scalp was and is still pink in the recipient areas, I don't think anybody noticed the work I had done. I talked to someone last week who I know had HT and I don't think he noticed anything. People I have told about the procedure have all said they didn't notice anything until I told them.

Truthfully, 900 grafts is a very small session, and if spread out over a pretty large area (front and back as you say), don't expect a lot of density. I'm not trying to alarm you by any means...but it's important that you are realistic with your expectations.

Do you know where you are on the NW scale? The general rule is to multiply your NW level of hairloss by 1000-1500 grafts to achieve decent results.

At 7 weeks post op, it sounds like you are right where you should be. All the grafts should have shed by now, with exception of maybe a few that will probably never shed and continue to grow as normal hair. The in-grown hairs you are experiencing are normal...it's a sign of activity underneath.

Regarding your experience, I'm glad it went well for you. Regarding your results...well, that's to be determined. Give it a full year before fully evaluating the results in full, though you should see new growth starting between 3-5 months or so.

I do, of course, intend on being encouraging with my post, but my gut does tell me that 900 grafts is going to be a disappointment for you. Bald spots or the crown area (depending on how much loss is there) typically takes a load of grafts for any decent density, and if you were getting front work done too, that narrows down how many grafts are being used in each area.

If you are willing, we'd love to see some pictures...even if you don't have any before, taking some pictures of where you are currently and posting them and charting your progress would be great for members here to see...plus, perhaps we can offer you honest feedback and encourage you in your journey. I know this forum has been a blessing to me over the years and now I try to give back as best as I can.

What a pleasant balanced response. I was reading this as someone that recently came to the boards myself. I have always thought you have a balanced perspective on welcoming new people while being cautious. I do appreciate that and just wanted you to know.

By the way, I saw you put a new photo up on the board separately. I would love to see the suture scar as well. Something I've only recently started to wonder about (like most, you can't see the back so all you focus on is what everyone else can see!).

I will be posting more pictures, including the donor scar as time progresses. I feel it's important to show all angles to get a full perspective on how things turned out! Clearly, my hairline is the best shot to date. Since I'm only 5.5 months post op, it would be unfair of me to post any other pictures until at least month 8, more likely, month 12. But I will post them bro